Reviving this thread because I’m trying for an informational interview with these guys. Can anyone tell me what their rank cutoff is for T30 candidates? (I’m looking for rank, not grades). Thanks.
Don’t worry too much about grade/rank cutoffs if you’re above median – they seem to care just as much about fit as about class standing. At my office (one of the biggest ones), I think they’ve been trying for a laid-back, genial vibe where people aren’t gunners and don’t put on airs. I genuinely like my fellow SAs, the associates have been great, and even most of the partners are surprisingly unpretentious. If you like that kind of atmosphere, apply even if you’re below their stated cutoffs. (YMMV, of course, depending on the office.)
It’s true that their class sizes are very small for a firm that big.
Sure, I’d be happy to answer questions – just post 'em here and I’ll PM the answers if they would out me (as I said, it’s a small class). And if a question should arise as to whether I enjoy DLA, the answer would be yes.
Did you have any qualms about choosing DLA? Some say its a behemoth, but I’m not sure how that translates into daily life. If you did callbacks with other firms, how did it compare? Why did you choose it? Thanks.
No real qualms. I chose them over one other firm offer. When I did my CB, I really liked the people I met. They were down-to-earth but not dull, busy but not overly stressed, witty about life but serious about work. Most of all, everyone seemed to be very happy to be working there.
Other positives: They’re serious about using pro bono as a way for young associates to learn the ropes and transition to leadership roles on bigger cases, they’ve got a 100% offer rate, they have a lot of great SA social events, and they pay more than their competitors in my market. Many of the partners here are home-grown. The sheer size of the firm is actually a plus because people here have the ability to work almost anywhere in the world on deals or anywhere in the country on litigation. There’s a ton of inter-office collaboration.
My summer experience has confirmed much of what I was expecting after my CB. It’s really tough to think of a downside about being here. (Then again, I outperformed my stats at OCI, so I feel lucky to be at a big firm at all.) The only type of person I can think of who wouldn’t enjoy DLA would be obnoxious gunners.
Thanks Anon, this is partly why I’m interested in them too: this kind of firm culture, which other people have told me about. But if the class size is as small as you say it is (relative to the size of the firm I mean), I’m surprised that your rank doesn’t appear to matter as much. Are you from a T14 school? (Would that answer out you? Just asking because class rank might not matter if you’re from Duke, but I come from the T30 range of schools).
I know someone from my school who was a little below median and didn’t get a screener, so maybe median is their cutoff. But I’d say it’s worth a bid, as my school is ranked a little under MVP. If you shine in the interview, grades don’t seem to matter as much. Why not give it a try?
